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Ancient Egyption Pyramids: Jordan and Lauren
Ancient Egyptian Pyramids The Egyptians believed that if the pharaoh's body could be mummified after death the pharaoh would live forever. The pyramids were designed to protect the buried Pharaoh's body and his belongings.Most of the pyramids can be found on the western side of the Nile River, just into the dry desert.The dry desert heat worked to keep the Pharaohs's body and his belongings from decomposing and rotting away in the pyramids.The reason they built the pyramids next to the Nile River was so it would be easier to get the blocks to the pyramid. The stones could be bought nearer to the pyramid building site by boat. http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/egypt/pyramids.htm 23/09/14 The ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for the pharaohs and their queens. The pharaohs were buried in pyramids of many different shapes and sizes from before the beginning of the Old Kingdom to the end of the Middle Kingdom. There are about eighty pyramids known today from ancient Egypt. The three largest and best-preserved of these were built at Giza at the beginning of the Old Kingdom. The most well-known of these pyramids was built for the pharaoh Khufu. It is known as the 'Great Pyramid'. Over 130 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt.Ancient Egyptian pyramids are the most well known pyramid structures.Most ancient egyptian pyramids were build as tombs for pharohs and there families. http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/engineering/egyptianpyramids.html 30/09/14 The earliest known Egyptian pyramids are found at saqqara, northwest of Memphis. The earliest among these is the pyramid of djoser (constructed 2630 BC–2611 BC) which was built during the third dynasty. This pyramid and its surrounding complex were designed by the architect imhotep, and are generally considered to be the world's oldest monumental structures constructed of dressed masonry. The estimate of the number of workers to build the pyramids range from a few thousand, twenty thousand, and up to 100,000.The most famous Egyptian pyramids are those found at giza, on the outskirts of cairo.The most famous Egyptian pyramids are those found at Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo. Several of the Giza pyramids are counted among the largest structures ever built.[9] The Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid. One tomb that was left largely intact was that of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings. Rediscovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, this famous tomb is best known for the solid gold funerary mask of Tutankhamun. Egyptians buried their dead with burial goods that ranged from everyday items they believed would useful in the afterlife to more expensive items such as jewels. /.http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/engineering/egyptianpyramids.html 7.10.14 Burial Chamber or King’s Chamber - Looking inside the Great Pyramid The burial chamber consists of an empty sarcophagus (7.3 ft by 3.75 ft) with smooth walls and a polished ceiling. The floor is made with blocks of pink granite, which cover 60 square meters. This chamber is almost six meters tall, and was built by solid blocks of granite that weigh about 50 tons. The blocks were transported from Aswan from the south. Egyptologists conclude the sarcophagus was built inside the pyramid during construction. It would have been almost impossible to transport such a heavy stone structure in such a confined and narrow passage. Egyptians designed this chamber to withstand tons of pressure from the top of the pyramid by building five low-roof chambers that are covered by impressive blocks of stone. This brilliant idea helped contain the room from crumbling inward and keeping it upright.Burial Chamber or King’s Chamber - Looking inside the Great PyramidThe burial chamber consists of an empty sarcophagus (7.3 ft by 3.75 ft) with smooth walls and a polished ceiling. The floor is made with blocks of pink granite, which cover 60 square meters. This chamber is almost six meters tall, and was built by solid blocks of granite that weigh about 50 tons. The blocks were transported from Aswan from the south. Egyptologists conclude the sarcophagus was built inside the pyramid during construction. It would have been almost impossible to transport such a heavy stone structure in such a confined and narrow passage. Egyptians designed this chamber to withstand tons of pressure from the top of the pyramid by building five low-roof chambers that are covered by impressive blocks of stone. This brilliant idea helped contain the room from crumbling inward and keeping it upright.The shafts are thought to have been built to allow air to proceed into the King’s Chamber. They extend about 146 meters outward and travel in a sloping path. It is thought that the shafts were built as a path to the stars, which allowed the pharaoh’s soul to escape. Although these shafts are more predominant in the King’s Chamber, some also exist in the Queen’s Chamber. The other two shafts that are present in the Queen’s Chamber do not exit the pyramid but rather stop midway. These shafts are believed to point to Sirius and Orion in the constellation.This chamber is located under the King’s Chamber and is smaller. Its name has falsely led people into believing that this room once held the mummy of a queen. This chamber is closed to public and cannot be accessed by tourists for viewing. http://www.kingtutone.com/pyramids/inside/ 21.10.14 Pyramids continue to fascinate us and spark many debates over how such enormous structures were built, from visiting aliens, slave labour to a paid dedicated workforce. What does remain is that these amazing structures were built to protect the Pharaohs body and wealth, and guarantee his soul’s safe passage into the afterlife. 1. In Egypt’s 1st Dynasty the first brick tombs appeared called Mastabas built for high officials. 2. Over 4500 years ago in the reign of King Djoser, the architect Imhotep is credited with building Egypt’s first Pyramid – the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. Begun in about 2630BC the Step Pyramid is the oldest stone structure of its size in the world. 3. Snofru, the first king of the 4th Dynasty built at least two true straight sided pyramids for himself. The Bent pyramid is one of these, so called because half-way up its height changes angle sharply. 4. There are four little known pyramids at Abusir and were not constructed very well. The smooth limestone casing blocks that once covered the rough masonry have been stripped off many years ago to be reused in other buildings. The few remaining decorated reliefs show a very early scene of sea-going ships in Egypt and another detailing the animal booty captured from the Libyans including 243,668 sheep and 123,440 cattle. 5. The one pyramid that is known to all is of course the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza. Its ancient name was “The Pyramid which is the place of Sunrise and Sunset.” The original height was 146m and remained the tallest building in the world until the construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1889 and covers an area of 2300 sq m and is the only remaining original wonder of the world. 6. It took 6.25 million tonnes of stone to build the Great Pyramid with the individual blocks weighing between 2 and 15 tonnes and if every stone was laid side by side there would be enough to surround France! To stand in front of this structure strikes you in wonder at how this amazing feat was carried out especially when you think that the blocks must have been produced at a rate of one every two minutes each day for 23 years. 7. The tomb of Khufu’s mother, Queen Hetepheres, lies beside the causeway of the Great Pyramid and a Canopic chest with her vital organs was discovered but the sarcophagus was empty. However it seems ones mother was just as important in ancient Egypt as now! 8. The pyramid of Khafre appears larger than Khufu’s but was built on slightly higher ground and so gives that impression. It is the most complete of the Giza pyramids and with its original limestone gives us an idea of how impressive these tombs would have been with the polished stones completely encasing the pyramid. 9. The Sphinx is Egypt’s earliest royal statue and formed part of Khafre’s pyramid complex and most Egyptologist’s think that the statue was built from an outcrop of limestone rock that remained after the quarrying for the Great pyramid. This act has given us one of the most iconic statues in the world. Its lion body symbolizes power and its head seems to be of Khafre himself. 10. In the New Kingdom the building of pyramids was abandoned in favour of tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Yet the desire for this elaborate tomb was then revived by the Kushite Kings of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty. They were more modest in size and along with the kings there are 14 queens also buried at el-Kurru.